1. Technical Field
The present invention encompassing one or more aspects thereof relates to a gaming machine comprised of a plurality of stations. More particularly, it relates to a gaming machine wherein a game result is determined and a game can be executed independently for each of the stations.
2. Description of Related Art
Various gaming machines have conventionally been installed in game arcades and the like. As one of the examples of them, stand-alone-type gaming machines have been available. In such stand-alone-type gaming machines, a game result is determined for a gaming machine separately, i.e., a game for the single gaming machine is executed separately from games for other gaming machines. That is, a game for this type of gaming machine can go with a single gaming machine (i.e., a processor for determining a game result) and a player seated thereat. This type of gaming machine has ordinarily been installed in game halls, which makes it difficult to create players' novel attraction toward game.
As one aspect of gaming machines to be installed in game halls and the like, a gaming machine comprised of a plurality of consoles has been available. In such a gaming machine, a game (e.g., baccarat, poker, and the like) is executed with a player seated at each of the plurality of consoles and a processor. That is, in the gaming machine, the processor determines a game result common to each of the plurality of consoles. For example, in case of baccarat, the processor determines a game result from any one of choices, namely, “TIE”, “BANKER” and “PLAYER” so as to serve as a dealer. Players anticipate a game result to be determined by the processor and carry out bet operation using gaming values at their respective consoles. In case the game result coincides with an anticipation on which a player has bet, the player can win a predetermined valued prize.
That is, the gaming machine comprised of the plurality of the consoles executes a game with each of the players and the processor, similar to the stand-alone-type gaming machine. In this regard, in the gaming machine comprised of the plurality of the consoles, a plurality of players seated at their respective consoles share a game result. However, the share of a single game result with plural players does not create novel characteristics of a game to be executed with the gaming machine. That is, characteristics of a game executed with the gaming machine comprised of the plurality of the consoles are as ordinary as those of a game executed by a stand-alone-type gaming machine.
With respect to gaming machines installed in game arcades and the like, a bet of a gaming value is prerequisite to execute a game. Each player is allowed to set amount of gaming values for bet arbitrarily. In those gaming machines, with or without a prize for a player and contents of the prize are determined in accordance with a game result determined randomly. Consequently, the gaming machines create imbalance between amount of gaming values bet by players and contents of a winning prize. The imbalance lowers players' interest to a game.
The object of the present invention encompassing one or more aspects thereof is to provide a gaming machine capable of executing a game of which characteristics are novel to characteristics of conventional games so as to heighten players' interest to the game and avoid lowering players' interest to the game due to the above-described imbalance.